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Enclosure 2 in No. 1. The Resident Agent for New Zealas'D, San Francisco, to Messrs. Hind, Rolph, and Co.. Agents for the Union Steam Ship Company, San Francisco. Resident Agency for New Zealand, Sirs, — 311 California Street, San Francisco, 4th April, 1912. Reverting to my communication of yesterday's date, regarding the detention of the R.M.S. " Tahiti " at this port, I desire to notify you that subsequent reports indicate that the European mails destined to the Dominion will not reach this port until, at the earliest, 11 a.m. to-morrow. Therefore it will be necessary to further delay the departure of the " Tahiti " until arrival of these mails, which probably will not be on board the vessel before 1 p.m. to-morrow, the sth instant. Please accept this notification as in accordance with the provisions of the contract for the conveyance of mails from this country to the Dominion of New Zealand now existing between the Government of New Zealand and the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent for the Dominion of New Zealand. Messrs. Hind, Rolph, and Co., Agents for the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), San Francisco. [Wn.-S.F. 12/82.]

No. 2. ♦ The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Resident Agency for New Zealand, Sir,— 311 California Street, San Francisco, sth April, 1912. Referring to my communication of the 4th instant, respecting the delay to the R.M.S. " Tahiti," I have the honour further to report that this morning's advices indicate that the through mails will arrive in this city at 11.10 a.m. to-day, and the mails will be transferred to the steamer about 12.30 p.m., which, of course, will be one hour and thirty minutes over the period stipulated in the contract (forty-eight hours) for detaining the steamers. This hour, however, will not enable the American forward letters to connect. As my authority is now exhausted as per contract, 1 have endeavoured (in accordance with, I believe, your expressed wishes) to get a further detention of an hour lo assist the connection of, at any rate, the letter portion of the American mail. The Union Steam Ship Company has extended this courtesy, but even then the objects sought may not be accomplished, as four days' collection of eastern mails arrives at once, having been held up by the disastrous floods in the middle west section of this country. In connection with the above, I would point out that under extraordinary circumstances such as this the authority to hold the steamer at this port for forty-eight hours only is, or may be, not sufficient: and I would suggest that an endeavour be made by the Postal Department to amend the contract so as to permit the steamers to be held at this port a " sufficient and reasonable " time in excess of the present contract-conditions, so as to meet such an emergency as has arisen this time. If these mails did not connect by this steamer, of course the delay would be serious, as the mails would have to be sent up to Vancouver to catch the steamer leaving there on the 17th April (twelve days hence). Please give this suggestion prompt consideration, as it is impossible to foresee when such a disaster may again occur, and it would seem as if full powers should be given mc so that the important consideration of the connection of the mails at this port should be definitely established. I would say that the Union Steam Ship Company's agents at this port are disposed to do everything in their power to facilitate the connection with the mails, but they state that they are confronted with the consideration that any departure from this port after midday would in all probability cause twelve hours additional delay at Tahiti, on account of the port regulations there preventing a steamer docking after dark. Trusting that some arrangement in the line indicated may be accomplished, and that my actions in connection with delay situation may be approved, I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent for the Dominion of New Zealand. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. [Wn.-S.F. 12/84-.-..]

No. 3. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Dunedin, 22nd April, 1912. I have to thank you for your advice dated 18th instant [not printed] that mails despatched by the " Tahiti " Bth ultimo reached London 15th instant. As the " Tahiti " delivered the mail inside of contract time at San Francisco, presumably the delay of seven days arose through interruptions, caused probably by the floods, crossing the United States.